Press Releases

Pingree said Navy made right decision to exempt shipyard workers

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement on the Department of Defense's reported decision to avoid furlough days for public shipyard workers, including those at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.

"The Pentagon made the right decision in letting the Navy exempt shipyard workers. Forced, unpaid furlough days are bad for the local economy and would probably end up costing the Navy in the long run because of inefficiencies. Family budgets are tight and the furloughs would have amounted to a significant pay cut for the men and women at the Kittery yard, so I'm glad the Navy will be able to avoid that. However, the sequester continues to hurt Maine families with indiscriminate cuts to programs like Meals on Wheels, Head Start and affordable housing, which is why I voted against it in the first place and continue to call for its repeal."